


houses and steeples and clouds

by summerofspock



Series: why must itself up every of a park (the ee cummings cycle) [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-23 10:57:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerofspock/pseuds/summerofspock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By Jim's count this, whatever it is, has gone far enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	houses and steeples and clouds

**Author's Note:**

> un beta'ed  
> disclaimer: i do not own any of this universe nor do i profit from this work  
> title from Who Knows If the Moon's by ee cummings

Spock is working a second shift on the bridge. Some sort of virus has incapacitated a large percentage of the crew and while, according to Doctor McCoy, it is not deadly, it is taxing. All of the ships systems are running on auto and, without trying to qualify it as such, Spock feels like an overworked babysitter. They are floating in undisputed Federation space; their next destination is a routine supply run. Spock is not worried, but he must do his duty. He stands from the command chair and drifts to his usual station, checking the sensors, reading the data that he would normally be studying. He wants to sigh, but Vulcans do not sigh so he simply squares his shoulders and works on, the gentle hum of the bridge keeping him company.

He drums his hand against the back of his chair as he leans over the science console. A small anomaly to their left, nothing detrimental. He twists the knob connected to the sensor array to compensate for the unusual readout. Normalcy. 

According to ship’s time it is the dead of night so when the turbo lift doors whoosh open to reveal the captain, Spock is slightly alarmed. Assuming a respectful stance, he addresses Kirk, “All systems normal, captain.”

Kirk waves a hand dismissively before striding to his command chair, plopping down with a sigh. Spock wills himself to think of anything besides the last time they were alone on the bridge and the feel of Kirk hard in his mouth. He succeeds, but barely. 

“Might I inquire as to the purpose of your presence on the bridge, Jim?” Spock takes a step towards the captain, feeling the waves of anxiety roll from him to permeate the room. 

“Couldn’t sleep,” he replies with a wry smile. A smile Spock feels the urge to kiss.

So he takes three more steps towards his captain, and leans down to do just that. He does not anticipate the suddenness with which Kirk stands, pushing him back and away. Spock looks at him and catalogs the way his eyebrows furrow and the sharp twist of his lips as he frowns. Spock does not fully understand so he asks, “Have I done something to offend you?”

Jim’s mouth opens, then closes, then opens again. “You kissed me!” 

Spock nods. “Yes. We have kissed approximately forty-six times.”

“But that was always- we always- there were circumstances, Spock,” Jim objects, his voiced laced with something Spock cannot quite identify. 

Spock tilts his head in confusion. 

“Oh, god,” Jim says, pressing his hand against his forehead. “I thought of all people you would get it. This-“ he gestures between them “- has nothing to do with us. Nothing to do with feelings and shit. It’s just fucking.”

Unaccustomed to the sudden coldness consuming his insides, Spock clenches his fists to stop himself from stepping towards the captain. He remains silent. 

“It’s meaningless, Spock. I thought you’d appreciate that.” Jim’s voice is unnecessarily cruel and a small part of Spock wonders at that. The captain had never seemed cruel by nature, but Spock had been wrong before (is wrong now). He shakes his head minutely. 

“Yes, sir,” Spock replies, long practice keeps his tone cold and withdrawn. “I apologize for overstepping my bounds.”

“Noted.” Jim looks at the viewscreen and purses his lips. “I’ll take the conn. You’re dismissed, Mr. Spock.”

“Indeed,” Spock murmurs as he crosses to the turbolift and the doors close before he can see the captain throw himself in the command chair with an angry growl.

**Author's Note:**

> Who Knows If The Moon’s  
> who knows if the moon’s  
> a baloon,coming out of a keen city  
> in the sky—filled with pretty people?  
> (and if you and i should
> 
> get into it,if they  
> should take me and take you into their baloon,  
> why then  
> we’d go up higher with all the pretty people
> 
> than houses and steeples and clouds:  
> go sailing  
> away and away sailing into a keen  
> city which nobody’s ever visited,where
> 
> always  
>  it’s  
>  Spring)and everyone’s  
> in love and flowers pick themselves


End file.
